If the last post wasn't long enough, I thought it may also be useful for me to include our instructions to reviewers for coordinating with records committees. It is critical that everyone understand that we view NYSARC and eBird to be complimentary. NYSARC is of great added benefit to eBird and we hope that eBird is of benefit to NYSOA and NYSARC. There are still things we need to do, but I expect there to be much more convergence between NYSARC and eBird when it comes to records for which NYSARC requires documentation. I'd like to thank Angus and the rest of NYSARC for their continued support of eBird, and the many good ideas and discussions they have provided. Below is the information we provide to reviewers.
RECORDS COMMITTEES You will undoubtedly encounter birds reported to eBird that require review by the local records committee. It is very important that our eBird Reviewers cooperate with the local Records Committees, so please pass any documentation you receive (photos, descriptions, or simply information on the report) to the local Records Committee so that they can follow-up on the records and review them. Please do your best to follow the decisions of the local records committees. For species subject to committee review (i.e., on the local "review list"), please try to ensure that the records reviewed by the committee are treated consistently within eBird. We strongly believe in the value of records committees, both for their archival role in collecting, filing, and preserving the body of documentation supporting rarities, and for their role in providing timely, expert review. In general, an important record adjudicated and validated by a committee of regional experts is stronger than a record assessed by one individual. Although bird records committees may occasionally be influenced by personal relationships or politics, we do feel that eBird will be best served to follow their decisions. However, it is also important that eBird information flow rapidly and not be delayed by waiting for committee action which can take months or even years (!). Please do use your judgment to make an initial judgment on any current rarities. If a Ross's Gull appears in your area and is photographed and seen by hundreds, you need not await the records committee's endorsement to validate it. Likewise, if you have good reason to feel that a reported Brown-chested Martin was really a Purple Martin, please do not hesitate to make that judgment. But please do stay abreast of the records committee decisions and reverse your action if your assessment and that of the records committee differ (these cases will be rare). If you strongly believe a committee has erred in the treatment of a record, we encourage you to promote the re-review of the record by the committee. Write a statement defending how you would treat the record and submit it for consideration by the committee. And if you depart from a committee decision with your eBird review (which we do not recommend), please be sure to provide extensive commentary within the record to defend your departure from their decision. Chris Wood eBird & Neotropical Birds Project Leader Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York http://ebird.org http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
